1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sound collecting system for recording sound and a reproducing system for reproducing the thus collected sound, and particularly to a sound collecting system and a sound reproducing system by which original sound can be reproduced as truly as possible as an actual audio image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various sound collecting systems and sound reproducing systems have been proposed and attempted regarding how to truly reproduce sound such as acoustic sound or voice having a spatial extent.
Particularly, reproduction of acoustic sound higher in truth is demanded for a three-dimensional television system together with three-dimensional reproduction of an image.
For example, the intensity stereo system which is a popular sound collecting and reproducing method involves collection of sounds using a large number of microphones, and recording of the thus collected sounds together with additional information such as level differences or time differences divisionally into a predetermined plurality of channels, for example, into N channels. Then, upon reproduction of the recorded sound, an audio image is produced by means of N loudspeakers disposed at predetermined positions.
Also the binaural sound collecting and reproducing system and the one-point sound collecting and reproducing system are known.
Since such conventional sound collecting and reproducing systems as represented by the exemplary systems described above all reproduce a virtual audio image, the original object of producing an actual audio image cannot be achieved as yet.
As a result, there still remain problems arising from a virtual audio image, for example, the problem that the reproduction position of sound is limited and an image of sound is not formed at a position displaced from a particular position and consequently the feeling of substance is lost toward the position of the virtual audio image.
Generally speaking, in production of an actual audio image, not only sound collection or reproduction but also general conditions from the sound collecting step to the reproducing step must naturally be taken into consideration. To this end, attention must be paid to the method of recording collected sounds, the editing method and so forth.